Surgical Data Recording Technology

Abstract

Reducing preventable medical errors remains a universal goal, yet implementing effective solutions remains a challenge. The development of surgical data recording technology shows promise to generate robust qualitative and quantitative data in the surgical theater. These data can allow physicians and their teams to capture specific sources of error and implement corrective interventions. Surgical data recording technology encompasses rudimentary data tabulation on notecards, to integrated audio-video systems containing cameras, microphones, and sensors, capturing and synthesizing intraoperative, environmental, and instrumentation information, along with devices tailored to robotic surgical systems. There is growing interest in the implementation of such technology in medical centers, particularly in the United States, Canada, and Europe, but existing medicolegal and regulatory challenges necessitate further research and clinical assessment in order for this technology to facilitate improved surgical patient safety.

Patient Perceptions of Audio and Video Recording in the Operating Room

“…1,2 Pilot application of such technology has already been used to identify intraoperative errors and events, variation in surgeons’ technical skills, and environmental distractions. 3 Although such operating room recording (ORR) has many potential beneficial uses, there remain legal, 4,5 ethical, 6,7 and logistical 8,9 barriers to its implementation.…”

Charting Tomorrow’s Healthcare: A Traditional Literature Review for an Artificial Intelligence-Driven Future

“…One way that AI integration could transform procedural-based medicine is the possibility of leveraging audio and video capture technology to record and document data in real-time, directly into the patient's health record [80,81]. While it has yet to be extensively studied, AI-assisted procedure note dictation may decrease the amount of time spent on manual documentation while refocusing residents' attention on mastering their skill sets and pursuing other avenues of career training [7].…”

“…While it has yet to be extensively studied, AI-assisted procedure note dictation may decrease the amount of time spent on manual documentation while refocusing residents' attention on mastering their skill sets and pursuing other avenues of career training [7]. This may also revolutionize the way physicians capture and store patient information, ultimately leading to improved accuracy, efficiency, and patient outcomes [81,82]. However, the attainability of such an integration comes with a significant set of challenges, including ethical and legal concerns for both patients and physicians alike.…”

“…In the case of any medical intervention, a patient's autonomy is of the utmost importance. Prior to being recorded, patients would need to provide informed consent to be recorded, understand why they were being recorded, know of the individuals that may have access, and know when or how the recorded data would be stored or destroyed [81,108]. Such an integration would inherently increase the demand for increased data storage capacity, encryption, and destruction processes to ensure patient privacy and confidentiality are adequately maintained [109].…”

“…Legal implications play a significant role in the discussion for audio and video recordings in general and for AI-integration applications as well [81,109,111]. Physicians already express concern about using video recording devices when it could be clinically beneficial due to fears of violating the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and due to the videos being harmful regarding malpractice suits [109,112].…”